"Don't worry, it's not there." Amanda spoke up to help Harry confirm that his bottom line was still intact.
"That's good, that's good." Harry breathed a massive sigh of relief. Since his photo hadn't been published, he could just stop going by the name Harry when he went out in the future.
How about calling himself Neville? He thought that name was pretty good.
The three of them chatted as they walked, and before long, they arrived at the banquet location specified in the invitation letter.
Amanda looked around; the original classroom had been cleared of desks and chairs, replaced by a variety of foods—fried sausages, stews, roast chicken, and ice cream. She had to admit that while Professor Slughorn was indeed a bit utilitarian, he truly put effort into hosting his banquets.
At the very least, the variety of food was already richer than the school's usual feasts.
"Welcome, welcome, Harry, my dear boy." A rather stout-looking Professor walked over, giving Harry a beaming hug.
Harry responded with a smile as well, though it was a smile full of politeness and not particularly heartfelt.
"Hello, Professor Slughorn. It's a pleasure to see you again."
"I'm glad to see you too, Harry," Slughorn said, patting Harry on the back. "I hope you enjoy today's party."
"I certainly will, Professor Slughorn," Harry said with a smile as he let go.
Amanda's gaze lingered on Professor Slughorn for a moment, and her brain concluded that he likely suffered from at least hypertension and hyperlipidemia. As for hyperglycemia... she thought it was possible, but wasn't entirely certain.
However, it seemed this Potions Master truly wasn't very healthy, just as Senior Platt had said. Thinking about it, it seemed both Potions Masters she had met weren't in the best of health.
One was Professor Snape; judging by his complexion, his body likely suffered from a year-round lack of sunlight and nutrition.
Coupled with his gloomy office, the gloomy Potion Class classroom, and the gloomy Slytherin common room... well, Professor Snape's complexion was actually quite reasonable.
As for this second Potions Master, one could tell just by his physique that he was definitely not in the category of healthy.
"Miss Granger, Miss Amanda, I'm delighted you could grace my party with your presence."
Professor Slughorn shook hands with Hermione and then Amanda, expressing his politeness as he spoke.
"You're welcome, Professor Slughorn. We are also honored to be invited to your party. Thank you for the invitation."
Amanda smiled softly, and after shaking hands, she stepped back to Hermione's side.
"Yes, Professor Slughorn, thank you for the invitation."
Hermione also added a light smile. After the brief pleasantries, Professor Slughorn went to receive the Young Wizards who had just arrived.
Meanwhile, Amanda pulled Hermione toward the food table while scanning the room, observing the group of students Slughorn had invited.
"These students all have famous family members or relatives working in the Ministry of Magic," she whispered to Hermione.
Hermione nodded in agreement. "Indeed, I noticed that too. This Professor Slughorn is very good at picking students from powerful families, or picking students who will be powerful themselves in the future."
"Yeah, he might have even picked Voldemort back in the day. After all, Voldemort was a genius and quite powerful."
Harry spoke with a hint of sarcasm. By Merlin's longest long johns, he really disliked these kinds of occasions. If this hadn't been a party hosted by a Hogwarts Professor, he would have simply said he couldn't make it.
But since it was hosted by a Professor, there was no way to decline.
Picked Voldemort? Harry's words seemed to remind Amanda of something, and she suddenly turned her head to look at Professor Slughorn, who was talking to the newly arrived students.
Sensing her gaze, Professor Slughorn turned back and raised his glass toward her.
Amanda returned the gesture with a polite smile, then looked at Harry and spoke in agreement.
"Harry, what you just said might actually be true."
"What?" Harry was stunned. What was true? Professor Slughorn picking Voldemort?! He was just saying that!
"Professor Slughorn taught at Hogwarts for a long time before Professor Snape."
"Seven of those years happened to overlap with the seven years Voldemort was in school."
"Based on what I know, Professor Slughorn's criteria for invitations are either having power and fame in the family, or him believing the student will achieve great things in the future."
"And Voldemort perfectly satisfied the latter. Given the fact that Voldemort successfully deceived the Principal and Professors of that time, as well as his own abilities, it can be inferred that he must have been well-loved by the Professors."
"With his outstanding personal abilities, Professor Slughorn would have definitely noticed him and found ways to add him to his circle."
"So, in summary, there is a very high probability that Professor Slughorn did indeed pick Voldemort."
Although she had fully recovered, Amanda would still subconsciously revert to her old self when thinking deeply, like a precision supercomputer printing out calculation results.
Only after the results were out would she regain her liveliness and emotion; it had become a habit.
However, Amanda didn't dislike this, as it allowed her to experience normal human emotions while maintaining her most efficient level of thinking.
"Then he really isn't picky about people at all." Harry said with a complicated expression, glancing at Professor Slughorn. He felt as if he were looking at an enormous, fat spider.
Crouched on its intricate web, sending juicy prey into its mouth one by one—except one of the prey was rotten and poisonous, and it had shoved it in without even looking... Disgusted by his own imagination, Harry felt he wouldn't be able to eat much at this lunch, or party, today.
Not just him, even Amanda and Hermione felt like they were sitting on pins and needles at this party, even though they hadn't sat down yet.
Having people constantly coming over to greet them, with every word dripping with the intent to curry favor, was truly making them extremely uncomfortable.
These were mostly children whose parents worked in the Ministry of Magic. If it were their parents trying to cozy up to Amanda and Hermione like this, the two of them could have bluntly shown them the door.
They could have said, 'Trying to get close a hundred times or sucking up a hundred times isn't as good as doing one actual piece of work.'
'The former two won't help you get promoted even a bit, nor will they help you get a raise, but the latter will!'
But the ones coming to find them now were their classmates. And looking at their classmates' expressions, it was clear they didn't want to talk in such a'strange' way either; they were obviously being pressured by their families.
So what could Amanda and Hermione do? They could only listen perfunctorily while the others spoke perfunctorily.
In any case, both sides were just completing a task. As long as the parents were happy that the words were said, Amanda and Hermione could just let it go in one ear and out the other.
One thing that gratified Amanda, however, was that among all the people trying to curry favor, not a single one was a Ravenclaw.
The Ravenclaws who came over just greeted her and then stuffed some food into her hands. As expected, the Little Eagles were the ones who knew her best and pampered her the most.
The things they brought were truly her favorites, things she usually ate more of. Everyone remembered so clearly. Amanda's lips curled up in pleasure.
Eating slowly, Amanda saw Ginny enter the party out of the corner of her eye. Professor Slughorn even personally stepped forward to welcome her.
As she was Ron's sister and their junior, Amanda, Hermione, and Harry walked over without hesitation.
Seeing the three of them approach, Professor Slughorn said with a smile,
"Ginny Weasley—of course, she probably doesn't need me to introduce her to you."
"But I must say, this is a very, very talented young lady."
"On the hogwarts express, I saw her use a very impressive Bat-Bogey Hex on a boy. It was magnificent."
"You will surely have a great future." Professor Slughorn looked at Ginny approvingly.
Ginny gave a bright, confident smile, though she couldn't help but blush slightly under the gaze of her two seniors and Harry.
Bat-Bogey Hex? Amanda raised an eyebrow. She really hadn't expected Ginny to know that spell, and to be so proficient in it.
Once Professor Slughorn left, Ginny shrugged under the gaze of her two seniors and Harry, saying somewhat nonchalantly,
"A person always needs to have some spells they're good at."
Besides, she wasn't just good at the Bat-Bogey Hex; her Reducto was also very practiced. However, that was clearly not suitable for use on classmates, so the Bat-Bogey Hex was better for playing tricks on them or teaching someone a lesson they deserved.
"A very correct way of thinking," Amanda nodded in approval. "Any spell can be very useful; it just depends on whether the person using it is truly skilled and can apply it where it's needed."
"I also know a few minor spells that can be used to teach someone a lesson."
Hermione said, winking at Ginny. "I think I can teach them to you."
Ginny's eyes lit up instantly. She nodded vigorously and walked to Hermione's side, listening intently as she explained the spells she thought were suitable for teaching someone a lesson without causing too much injury.
Listening to Hermione talk about things like Oppugno and Tickling Charms, the corners of Amanda's mouth never dropped. she was happy to see this 'mischievous' side of her lover.
However, Harry, who was also standing nearby, wasn't quite as happy. For some reason, he felt a chill down his spine.
It was as if something bad was about to happen. Could it be Voldemort?
Impossible. Voldemort and the Death Eaters had been left in such a miserable state by Amanda and Hermione's joint efforts that they shouldn't be able to show their faces for a while.
So what was going on... Seeing Hermione finish sharing her spells with Ginny, Amanda quickly fed Hermione a bite of meat pie and then a sip of pumpkin juice.
"Thanks, darling." Hermione smiled, chewed the food, swallowed, and leaned in to kiss the corner of Amanda's mouth.
Ginny blinked, watching the intimate scene between her two seniors with a grin, while also casting a cautious glance at Harry beside her.
As if sensing something, Harry also glanced in Ginny's direction. It was this very glance that Amanda captured with pinpoint accuracy.
With a sly smile, Amanda waited until the party was over and the three of them had parted from Ginny before looking at Harry teasingly.
"Harry, if you like her, go for it bravely. Don't wait until someone else beats you to it and then regret it."
"What? I'm not... I didn't..."
Before he could finish, Hermione interrupted him with a laugh. "Harry, don't bother explaining. Anyone can read that look in your eyes."
"Yeah, it's understandable," Amanda said, looking at Harry. "After all, Ginny is indeed very pretty."
"Of course," she turned back to Hermione, "in my eyes, she's still a bit behind Hermione."
Hermione reached out to wrap her arm around Amanda's waist, satisfied. She leaned over and kissed her cheek; at least her darling knew what to say.
"Merlin's beard..." Harry closed his eyes, his face flushing at the feelings in his heart. "Ron will kill me."
"Oh, he definitely will." Hermione added heartlessly, twisting the knife for her best friend.
"But don't worry, Ginny will stop him." Amanda said with a grin, applying a 'band-aid' to the wound Hermione had just made.
"You two, stop teasing me."
Harry didn't know whether to laugh or cry, waving his hand. "Besides..." Harry paused, the faint red fading from his face as a mature, youthful determination reappeared. "The prophecy said only one of us can survive, me or Voldemort. If I die first..."
Harry stopped mid-sentence and gave a helpless smile, shaking his head. "I'm not someone worth liking."
Think about it: if he really started a relationship with Ginny and then died in the struggle against Voldemort, how heartbroken would Ginny be?
So he'd rather— "What terrible logic." Hermione rolled her eyes mercilessly and slapped Harry on the back, jarring him out of the mood he was brewing.
Grimacing and hunching over, Harry felt like there must be a handprint swelling on his back. Why was Hermione so strong?!
"Wondering why I hit you so hard?" Hermione huffed, easily guessing Harry's thoughts.
"You think you're doing this for Ginny's own good, but that's just what you think, Harry."
"How do you know Ginny isn't willing to fight by your side? How do you know she isn't willing to face it with you? How do you know she needs this kind of protection from you?"
"Ginny isn't a fragile vase, Harry," Amanda added from the side. "She's a Gryffindor lion too. If you think she'd back down because of what you just said—that she'd be afraid to accept your pursuit or afraid to let herself fall for you—then you're underestimating her too much."
"Ginny has enough courage and enough mettle to enjoy a love even if she might lose it, rather than being too afraid to enjoy it just because loss is a possibility."
Hermione sighed and helped rub Harry's back. If it wasn't to snap the boy out of it, she wouldn't have used so much force. Look how much it hurt the poor kid.
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